Birmingham's top-performing King Edward's Foundation of schools is in talks to sponsor at least one of the first city academies to be created in Birmingham.

The revelation comes weeks after it emerged that education chiefs in Birmingham have drawn up plans to set up seven of the controversial schools.

The drive - a flagship educational policy of Tony Blair - has attracted criticism because it allows private organisations or individuals to gain control over schools through financial sponsor-ship. But support from the King Edward's Foundation - which includes two of the best public schools in the country - would be a major boost to the programme.

The foundation, which also runs five top-performing grammar schools in the city, has expressed interest in sharing its expertise to help create and manage the new academies.

Roger Dancey, outgoing chief master of King Edward's School for Boys, said: "We are in preliminary talks about the possibility of linking with a sponsor. That would be a very exciting development.

"The Department for Education is involved in that."

The seven secondaries Birmingham is proposing should become city academies are: The Heartlands High in Nechells; The College High in Erdington; Kings Norton High in Kings Norton; St Albans in Highgate; Sheldon Heath; Shenley Court in Selly Oak; and Harborne Hill in Edgbaston.

Academies are new schools, each costing about £25 million, built to replace failing schools in urban areas.

Under the programme, a private sponsor puts up £2 million of the setting-up costs, with the rest coming out of the public purse.

In return, they gain significant representation on the governing body and management of the school.

Critics claim this opens the door for those who have nothing to do with education to gain an influence over children. Independent schools have come under pressure to join the programme.

Sponsoring a city academy is one way the Government believes they can demonstrate "public benefit" to retaining charity status which brings substantial tax breaks.

Mr Dancey claimed the city academy concept was a good one for the city.

"I would like to see city academies established in Birmingham. If there are, I very much hope to see the King Edward's Foundation involved," he said.

"I think city academies are a very good idea for cities, not for the country as a whole.

"But if schools have been having a very difficult time in very difficult circumstances then you need a new approach.

"Even if not every city academy is successful, if a proportion are, that is better than failing schools."

The foundation gives out hundreds of thousands of pounds in bursaries to enable talented children from poor backgrounds to attend its schools. As well as the feepaying King Edward Boys and neighbouring King Edward VI High School for Girls, the foundation also includes the grammars of Aston, the two Camp Hill boys and girls schools, Five Ways and Handsworth.

Because of these financial commitments, Mr Darcey said it was unlikely to stump up cash to sponsor an academy.

Instead, it is envisaged it would join with another body which would provide the capital. City head of education Coun Les Lawrence (Con Northfield) said the city academies would be different from the standard Government model in that no one sponsor would take control.